On our only free weekend for the entire month of June, I'd planned to go out on our first backpacking trip of the year. Then I saw the weather forecast. By midweek, there were chance thunderstorms forecast for the entire area - not something I want to worry about when sleeping on the ground in a tiny, wet tent! Checking the forecast again on Friday that week, the thunderstorms had disappeared from the forecast, but there would still likely be rain. Still, I was determined to go so we loaded up our packs and hit the road early Saturday morning. Destination: The Lily Lake & Lizard Lake trailhead near Bellingham.
Read moreIron Bear - Teanaway Ridge
The Iron Bear - Teanaway Ridge trail is one of the one of the quickest ways to access the Teanaway forest from the Seattle area, with an easy drive of a little more than an hour. By the time you reach the trailhead, you've already gained most of your elevation too! I imagine that normally on a spring weekend, this trail would be thoroughly crowded, but on the cool, overcast day we visited, we passed only one other group. Because of the low, dense clouds, we had nothing in the way of views, but I was so pleased to finally have the time to get back out on a trail that I didn't mind. Especially since what the trail lacked in views, it made up for in blooms!
Read moreOld Sauk River
Lately, many of my favorite hikes have been demanding trails that require high effort for the rewards of dramatic views or sparking jewel lakes. Then, along came the Old Sauk River trail, which asks very little, but gives so much tranquility and beauty in return. This is a trail that makes you slow down. Surrounded by the giant, moss covered trees, your eye is forced to the tiny details of the forest. When I hiked it on the first day of spring, those details were primarily budding leaves and blooming flowers.
Read moreKendall Peak Lakes
I've never had much of an interest in team sports. I attended a few minor league baseball games as a kid - my dad was briefly a huge fan of the Everett Aqua Sox - but that's about it. I've watched the Super Bowl a few times, always at a family member's house. Most years I hardly even know what teams are playing. However, over the past two years, Andy and I have developed an enthusiasm for the Super Bowl. Not because we're excited about watching it, but because we've learned that with everyone else at home watching the game, we can sneak away and enjoy typically crowded places in much more peaceful conditions. This year, since there was still plenty of snow in the Cascades, we headed out for some snowshoeing, hoping that this time we might actually need our snowshoes.
Read moreEbey's Landing
I love the peaks and forests of my beloved Cascades, but sometimes, especially in the dead of winter, I need to escape to the salty, windblown air of Puget Sound. I love the snow, but winter on the coast is so rugged, stormy, and beautiful. You may have already noticed that Andy and I visit Whidbey Island a lot. For how frequently we're there, we certainly don't hike the Ebey's Landing trail often enough. The cabin we stay at it so lovely, I'm usually happy to spend an entire weekend there. On this last trip, we took friends with us, and they were just the motivation we needed to get out on an actual trail.
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